Johnston's

Lucy & Éanna

Mrs Murphy has a paper bag from the shop.

Johnston's

Johnston’s was built in 1895. It was originally built as a hotel. Soon after, it turned into a shop, it sold bathtubs, butter churns, boots and brooms. You could also get a glass of whiskey there. In 1940, the shop turned into a dance hall and cinema. In 1970, it turned into a hostel run by Richard Johnston.

Mrs Murphy's first memory of Johnstons is as a dancing hall. Ms Murphy said that before any dances she would have to make the floor slippery for the dancers.

Then Johnstons became a cinema and when there was a movie showing she would have to put out the chairs for people to sit down and watch the movie.

Also, when the markets for cows, or the sheep or pig fairs were over she, and other children, got paid for cleaning cattle dung off the wall.

This side of the bag shows the wealth of supplies on offer in the shop at the time.

A view down main street Kinvara as it was. Johnstons in on the left displaying it's wares.

"The Travelling shop would come to our house in the countryside. We would buy paraffin oil and lamps and give eggs as payment.

We went to Kinvara to the bakery to buy a delicious loaf of bread. It would be half eaten by the time we got home because it was so nice."

Kathy Tannian

My father remembers that every Wednesday evening at around 6 o clock,Paddy Piggot would come to the house in his van. His mother would do her shopping. Paddy Piggot had everything in the van except milk because all the people around had their own milk. She would buy currants,porridge,tins of peas and beans,baking powder,bread soda,bovril,Clinic shampoo and brillo pads. If she had money she would buy my father and his brothers and sisters a Lucky Bag which had different plastic toys and balloons inside. He remembers he also sold Astec bars, Crunchie bars, and love heart sweets as well.

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